The present invention relates to a method of selectively enabling or disabling a datapath in a network, such as a storage area network.
There are a variety of reasons for providing a user an ability to enable or disable a datapath in a network. For example, in a storage area network (SAN), one reason may be to protect memory locations from certain servers or hosts. At present, known techniques for addressing the enabling or disabling of datapaths in potentially complex network layouts of nodes and datapaths require substantial manual intervention. Any user interface associated with the network is static in that it shows a given configuration of the layout, but does not allow for an interactive, dynamic reconfiguration of the network.
One method of enabling and disabling a datapath in a network, particularly in a SAN, involves manually creating a diagram of the SAN on paper to map out all of the possible datapath connections between the different nodes in the SAN. The next step is to evaluate the effects on the SAN for the enablement or disablement of each datapath connection. The process of evaluating the effects of enabling and disabling a datapath becomes more complicated as the resulting diagram and analysis becomes more complex. The result of this manual mapping process is a matrix displaying all of the possible datapath connections that may be enabled or disabled in the SAN.
Another method of mapping connections in a SAN involves using zoning techniques. These processes include establishing a geometric representation of the SAN. The geometric representation includes a plurality of nodes identified by a symbol, such as the letter xe2x80x9cXxe2x80x9d. The user analyzes the datapath connections by encircling a portion of the node representations to make a subset of the universe of nodes identified on the diagram. This process is repeated until a series of subsets are drawn on the diagram showing the portions of the subsets that are overlapping. The overlapping sections identify the nodes that are connected by a datapath and, likewise, show the no overlapping subset portions identifying the nodes that are not connected by a datapath. This process is complete after the connections in the SAN are analyzed. To reconfigure datapaths between nodes, the entire process must be repeated.
The above methods of mapping connections in a network require manually creating a series of diagrams in the network to visualize the datapaths. When the datapaths are reconfigured between nodes in the network, the required process must be repeated. Presently, there is no automated user interface which provides for the selective enabling or disabling of datapaths in a network to dynamically reconfigure the network.
In an exemplary embodiment, a method is disclosed for operating a graphical user interface to allow a user to selectively enable and disable a datapath that is connected to carry communications between a first node and a second node of a switched network, such as a storage area network. The method comprises the steps of displaying a graphical representation of the datapath on a display, displaying a cursor on the display whose image position on the display is under control by the user, selecting the first node, detecting when the image position of the cursor is within a predetermined distance from the graphical representation of at least one of the datapath and the second node, highlighting the graphical representation of the datapath when the displayed cursor is detected to be within the predetermined distance, and then selectively enabling or disabling the datapath of the switched network that corresponds to the highlighted graphical representation in response to an input signal controlled by the user.
Another aspect of the invention is a method for operating a graphical user interface with an input signal that is controlled by the user by actuating a mouse.
In yet another aspect of the invention, a method is disclosed for operating a graphical user interface including the step of providing a pop-up menu on the display in response to the input signal controlled by the user.
In another aspect of the present invention, a method is disclosed for operating a graphical user interface comprising the step of sending commands to the storage area network after selectively enabling or disabling of the datapath.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a method is disclosed for operating a graphical user interface comprising the step of producing signals for selectively enabling or disabling the data path in the storage area network.
In another aspect of the present invention, a method is disclosed for operating a graphical user interface wherein the network is a storage area network.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a method is disclosed for operating a graphical user interface comprising the step of highlighting the graphical representation of the datapath at the time the first node is selected.
In another aspect of the present invention, a method is disclosed for operating a graphical user interface wherein the highlighting of the graphical representation of the datapath communicates to the user whether the datapath is enabled or disabled and whether the datapath is selected or unselected.
The foregoing and other advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings.